Jason John Magic

About Jason Maiuri

Born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in September 1981, currently residing in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada I was first bitten by the magic bug at a young age of 9. I quickly knew that I loved watching all the stars of the various television magic shows and knew right away that this was something that I wanted to do. I had started performing magic for close friends and family with simple ticks that I had picked up growing up from a local toy store. My first real purchase of a quality piece of apparatus was a set of Chinese Linking Rings that I picked up on a family vacation from the Main Street Magic Shop downtown Disney World, Orlando Florida. I remember stepping into that shop as a child and was mesmerized.

In my teens I had always had a passion for technical theatre and volunteered for many local theatre groups to gain experience in that field. In the year 2000 I was accepted in to the Theatre Arts - Technical Production program at Fanshawe College in London, Ontario, Canada. I figured that having experience in technical theatre could not hurt and would benefit me immensely as a magician.

In the spring/summer of 2001 I was given a fantastic opportunity to start working as a stage hand for Claude Haggerty Magic. A touring company that did approximately 300 shows a year across the province of Ontario, Canada. That was all it took to set in motion the desire to start moving towards my own career in magic. I loved handling all the technical requirements for the show, but knew i wanted to be the one on stage making the mysteries happen.

In 2003 I started working for a large scale illusion show that was located in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. “Magical Fantasies" starring Frederic Clement from Quebec, Canada. Due to the economic down turn, the summer of the S.A.R.S. outbreak in Ontario and the start of the Iraq war, a huge strain was put on tourism in Niagara Falls. The show ended up closing after a short run of a few weeks. I took away a valuable lesson in what it takes to market your show. I had also gained an excellent experience in what it was like to design, rehearse and perform large scale stage illusions with a large cast and crew.

From 2003 to 2005 I had started working for The Shaw Festival, first as a stage hand and then a lighting technician. In 2005 I started serving an apprenticeship as a Scenic Carpenter building the beautiful scenery that The Shaw Festival is known for. It had also given me experience in what it was like to work in repertory theatre. To me I had finally hit the big time and had started working in an “A” house. It had been one of my dreams as a teen to work for The Shaw Festival. Through lots of hard work and dedication I was able to fulfill that dream. Working there had taught me how things were properly done and accomplished in a professional theatre environment.

After a slow down in work in the spring of 2005 I left The Shaw Festival and had started working for International Grand Champion Magician, Mr. Greg Frewin. What an amazing experience that was. Working for one of the top pros in the magic industry was amazing and an unbelievable educational experance. Working for him had taught me lessons on the drive and determination that it takes to be a successful award winning magician. It was also a place I could learn even more about grand stage illusions watching and helping the master at his craft.

Unfortunately in May of 2010 after suffering with kidney disease and a failing kidney transplant that I had since 2003, I lost the transplant I had received and had to start hemodialysis that same month. Due to the physical limitations I had from hemodialysis, I was required to give up my position with Greg. At that time it was one of the saddest days of my life to give up that job Starting dialysis had forever changed my life and the outlook I had on it from that point forward. Now on dialysis for five (5) years and awaiting another kidney transplant I found that I now had quite a bit of free time on my hands to read books, watch magic videos, practice and start constructing my own act. I dove in head first trying to educate myself as best as I could and build an act to hopefully start a successful career in magic as a performer. While working for Greg I met my mentor. Inspiring and helping me out along this amazing journey has been Mr. Ken McCreedy (http://www.kenmccreedy.com) an extremely talented magician from the Niagara Region who has shared his time and passion with me. Showing me what the art of magic really is. I found having a mentor to be an invaluable asset as he is not easy on me and expects nothing but perfection when I represent myself as a magician. He was the person that instilled in me that its better to know a few tricks extremely well then many tricks not that well. It was drilled into me that quality is better than quantity. I feel this is currently a big issue with young learning magicians.

Currently I am working towards building a "Magic is Medicine" act that I will be able to present to patients on dialysis to help pass the time during their long four hour treatments. This will also give me the chance to perform for other patients at the Niagara Health System Satellite Dialysis Units and other departments throughout the hospital system. Hopefully enriching the lives of others as I have been enriched myself. Magic gives me the escape from reality for those few moments that I need and makes my life much more wonderful and fulfilling to be able to share the mystery and wonder of magic with others.

After working for many stage illusionists my main passion still remains Close Up and Parlour magic. I feel stage illusions are amazing, but nothing stirs my emotions more than close up magic. The intimacy and mystery that you experience when you watch a great close up performance for me is unparalleled I personally strive to be the best magician that I can possibly be in our art form and craft and look up to and admire many of the greats that have come before me and graced the halls and rooms at The Castle. To me proper education, training, diligent practice and rehearsal are the fundamentals of both magic and in starting a entertaining and successful career as a magician.

Currently I am an active member of The International Brotherhood of Magicians (Ring 17 The Sid Lorraine Hat and Rabbit Club), The Society of American Magicians and The Canadian Association of Magicians. I also try to take in as many shows from other magicians as I can to not only analyze what the pros who got it right are doing, but also supporting their shows financially by buying a ticket when my finances permit.

Always eager to learn new material, techniques and expand my knowledge base you will often find me at numerous magic conventions, lectures as well as the brick and mortar magic shops throughout Canada and the north eastern United States. Some of the conventions I have attended include The MAWNY convention in Batavia, New York and The Browers Den of Magic Browers Bash in Toronto, Canada attending both twice. Some of the great lectures I have attended include Norman Beck, Daryl the Magicians Magician, Shoot Ogawa, Richard Osterland, Michael Webber, David Ben and Shawn Farquhar